We recently connected with Areona Carter and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Areona thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Most people are eager to get a dog in hopes of finding a forever companionship. When making this decision most do not realize that pets are a long-term commitment and investment. Dogs come with behavioral issues, emotional trauma, and much more. These are typically things dogs are surrendered for because people are just not equipped to deal with these behaviors. Before starting my business I was always involved with dogs. I loved rescuing and fostering dogs that needed a temporary home. This is where the idea of Carter’s K-9 came along, I wanted to prevent so many dogs from being returned to the shelter. I want to give people an opportunity at the life they originally desired when getting their pet. Our services like home-boarding and training are excellent tools to start you and your dog on the path to a better life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a recent graduate from Texas A&M University in College Station, with a degree in Agricultural Communication and Journalism. I have been professionally dog-sitting for about 5 years now, however, I’ve owned and cared for dogs all of my life. In January 2019, my mother and I founded Carter’s K-9 LLC., our black-owned business, in hopes to share our love for dogs and to show you guys our best services continue growing my experience in the canine community I decided to dive into my passion of dog training. Now I am also a graduate of CATCH, where I became a certified dog trainer.

Carter’s K-9 was founded to help or prevent dogs from being returned to the shelter or euthanized. Our services like In-Home Boarding allow your dog to be in a more relaxed and intimate environment that will cater to their personal needs. Our thought is that if you have someone trustworthy to watch your pet then owners will feel more comfortable on vacation or during emergencies.

Similarly, our dog training services hold the same purpose. We want all humans to have a positive relationship with their pets. Dog training will give you and your dog the tools needed to enhance your all’s journey together.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

My side hustle quickly turned into a full-time business. For as long as I can remember I have been rescuing abandoned kitten litters, stray dogs, injured birds, and much more. I saw an ad on social media to become a dog sitter for someone local. I decided this was a great opportunity for my passion to accumulate income. After a year of this, it was time for me to prepare for college, meaning I had to let all of my beloved clients know that I could no longer serve them. To my surprise, all of the clients enjoyed my services so much that they requested I made this side hustle a full-time business. This was the milestone moment for Carter’s K-9. My clients believed in me so much and ultimately encouraged me to follow my dreams!

Today we offer services in Dallas and College Station, Texas, and occasionally Houston. Since 2019 we have added on training, drop-in visits, and more!

Have you ever had to pivot?

As a new business owner, I quickly had to pivot and make hard decisions for the business. I started Carter’s K-9 as a senior in high school with hopes of continuing to run my business in college. This was an immediate challenge because things did not go as planned during my freshman year of college. I had been providing all of my services at my mom’s residence, but now in college, I did not have the same resources. I knew it was time for me to expand and learn other skills to keep my business afloat. As a sophomore at Texas A&M University, I also enrolled in CATCH a dog training academy where I became a Certified Dog Trainer. This allowed me to grow my business in College Station while keeping the services we provided in Dallas.

I feel as though this can double as a life lesson. In life, things will not go as planned, but there are many paths that can be taken to achieve a goal.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cartersk9llc.com
• Instagram: cartersk9_
• Facebook: Carters K9 LLC
• Other: email: [email protected]